Marianne Paskowski

Verizon Tries to Cut to the Chase

August 18, 2006 2:15 PM

Covering Verizon’s moves into the TV space should really be some reporter’s full-time beat. You can’t pick up a paper without reading about its entry somewhere into video. Yes, even on this little spit of sand in the ocean, Cape Cod. For two days straight, the Cape Cod Times reports the state’s displeasure with Verizon as it lobbies to shorten franchising time, leaving municipalities just 30 days to hammer out deals.

It usually takes a year for those pacts to get nailed down, but Verizon wants to change the rules. Verizon already provides video in six communities surrounding Boston and has newly won franchises in six other communities in that area. Now the telco wants to come over the bridge, having had discussions with five Cape Cod towns, which went quite poorly.

Clearly those sensible Yankees are not going to be rushed into anything, saying they want to make an educated decision. And they also know that national telecom re-reg is afoot.

Clearly I’m not a sensible Yankee, but a shrewd New York “wash-a-shore” who sees some merit in what Verizon is trying to do. Competition results in lower prices for consumers. And, it’s not as though Comcast, the incumbent is going to go away.